Instant Ramen Is Japan’s Greatest Invention Says Japan

Screw the bullet train or digital audio recording; the invention the Japanese take the most pride in is ramen. In a recent survey of 500 people in Japan about what homegrown inventions they should be proud of, the clear winner was instant noodles, specifically Nissin’s Top Ramen.

The favorite of poor college students and drunk college graduates destroyed its closest competitors in the survey. 57 percent of respondents said Japan should be proud of instant ramen, which outpaced the blue LED light—the ultra-efficient light that has paved the way for energy-saving light bulbs and, oh yeah, resulted in a Nobel Prize for its inventor in 2013. Coming in third—Toto’s robo-toilet that comes with heated seats and washes your butt automatically. So clearly the Japanese have their priorities straight.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time this question was put to the Japanese or the first time they chose ramen as a national treasure. Fifteen years ago the Fuji Research Institute asked the Japanese about their greatest export. Instant ramen was a runaway winner followed by karaoke and the Walkman.

While we like instant ramen just fine, we’re partial to the real stuff. For anyone else looking to avoid the microwave, here’s a quick ramen primer.